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NSGF Chairman, Inuwa Yahaya Receives Northern Governors’ Wives, Calls for Intensified Development Efforts Amidst Regional Challenges

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The Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, has advocated for intensified efforts in education, healthcare, and human capital development through entrepreneurship and skill acquisition in advancing the living standards and prosperity of the region.

The Governor made the call while receiving members of the 19 Northern Governors’ Wives Forum, NGWF on a courtesy visit at the Government House, Gombe.

He acknowledged the numerous challenges facing the northern region which hinder its progress, stressing the importance of collaboration between NSGF and NGWF in overcoming these challenges.

Governor Inuwa expressed specific concern about the alarming rate of out-of-school children in the North and its negative impact on socioeconomic development.

“It is unfortunate that our region has the highest rate of out-of-school children. Our people are yet to embrace the global development agenda”, he lamented, emphasizing the critical role of education in fostering the needed change.

“Nothing happens without education; no development occurs without it. Education brings development, changes the tide, and improves lives. It even helps feed people through modernization and allows us to understand the dictates of our religion.”, he noted.

Shifting the focus to national stability, the NSGF Chairman pointed out that Northern Nigeria’s size and population make it crucial for national peace. He warned that insecurity and other problems in the North are capable of destabilising the entire country and spreading turmoil throughout West Africa.

Governor Inuwa also highlighted the threats posed by drug and narcotic abuse, illegal arms possession, and the specific security challenges faced by different states which include insurgency, banditry and kidnapping, and ethno-religious crises.

He urged leaders at all levels and stakeholders to confront these challenges head-on.

The Gombe Governor noted the important role the Governors’ spouses can play in uplifting the lives of the people especially in the areas of women empowerment and fostering good governance, assuring them of his support in that regard.

“As Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, I assure you of my support and that of other Governors, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Through Mr. President’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’, we are reviving hope and encouraging collaboration for a better Nigeria.

Earlier speaking, Gombe States First Lady, Hajiya Asma’u Inuwa Yahaya who doubled as the Chairperson of the Northern Governors’ Wives Forum said the governor’s wives were in Gombe for their quarterly meeting in their efforts to complement their husbands in promoting socio-economic development in their respective states and the northern region in general.

 

Dr Asma’u Yahaya explained that their engagement in Gombe will focus on women empowerment, drug and substance abuse and the menace of out-of-school-children which are among the major issues stunting development in the region.

She commended the support they get from the Northern Governors’ under the leadership of Governor Inuwa Yahaya.

Ismaila Uba Misilli
Director-General
( Press Affairs)
Government House
Gombe

EVENTS

Tinubu jets to Kaduna, visit Aisha Buhari, attend Yari son’s wedding

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Barring any chance of arrangement, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will visit Kaduna State.

Tinubu will depart Abuja for Kaduna where he is expected to attend the wedding of the son of senator representing Zamfara West, Abdul’aziz Yari.

Disclosing this via an X post, Tinubu’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga said the president is also expected to visit the widow of late President Muhammadu Buhari, Aisha in Kaduna.

According to Onanuga, Tinubu is expected back in Abuja after the visit.

He wrote: “President Tinubu will attend the wedding ceremony between Nasirudeen Yari and Safiyya Shehu Idris during the visit. Nasirudeen is the son of the senator representing Zamfara West, Abdul’aziz Yari.

“President Tinubu will also pay a courtesy visit to Aisha, the widow of the late former President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, at the family residence in Kaduna.”

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Arthur Nzeribe: The Arms Dealer Who Supplied Both Sides of Nigeria’s Civil War

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When people think of Arthur Nzeribe, the late Nigerian businessman and politician, most remember his flamboyant lifestyle, vast wealth, and eventual role as a senator. But one of the most controversial chapters of his life remains his activities during the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970).

The Business of War

The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Biafran War, erupted when the southeastern region declared independence as the Republic of Biafra. The three years of bloodshed left over a million people dead, mostly from famine and starvation.

Behind the battle lines, a young Arthur Nzeribe—already showing the sharp instincts that would define his career—saw opportunity in the chaos. He became a middleman in the shadowy world of international arms trade, using his contacts in Europe to source and supply weapons.

Playing Both Sides

What makes his role particularly controversial is that Nzeribe allegedly sold arms to both the Nigerian federal government and the secessionist Biafran side. While most businessmen aligned with one camp or the other, Nzeribe navigated between both, dealing in weapons and military hardware. To some, he was an opportunist who fueled the conflict for profit; to others, he was simply a pragmatic businessman operating in a brutal environment.

The Making of a Tycoon

These wartime dealings laid the foundation for Nzeribe’s later fortune. By the 1970s and 1980s, he had built up a business empire spanning oil, property, and investments. His wealth bought him influence, and his influence eventually bought him a seat in Nigerian politics.

Yet, the whispers of his past never fully went away. Many Nigerians continued to view him as a man who profited from national tragedy, even as he tried to reinvent himself as a statesman.

Legacy of a Controversial Figure

Arthur Nzeribe’s life is a study in contrasts—patriot and profiteer, politician and dealmaker, philanthropist and opportunist. His role as an arms dealer during the civil war remains a dark shadow over his legacy, reminding us how the lines between survival, business, and morality can blur during times of conflict.

In the end, Nzeribe’s story


is not just about one man, but about the broader reality of war: while ordinary people pay the price with their lives, others exploit the chaos to secure wealth and power.

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Osun: Amotekun arrests ex-convict, others for theft, burglary, rape of minors

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The Osun State Security Network Agency, known as Amotekun Corps, has arrested nine individuals for various crimes including livestock theft, burglary and defilement of minors.

This was made known by the Osun Amotekun Corps Commander, Isaac Omoyele, according to a statement issued by the spokesperson, Yusuf Idowu Abass, on Thursday in Osogbo.

“In Oriade Local Government Area, a 56-year-old man, Ayo Akinpelu, was caught stealing two goats in Ipetu-Ijesa. Residents reported his suspicious activity, leading to his interception by the Amotekun command.

“Akinpelu was found with the stolen goats concealed inside his Lexus SUV. Community members insisted on inspecting the vehicle before Amotekun arrived to take him into custody,” the statement said.

Akinpelu, during questioning, confessed to have been involved in goat theft for seven years.

The statement revealed that Akinpelu is an ex-convict who was previously jailed for a similar offence.

“He confessed that he uses salt to calm the goats during theft and that he used the animals for pepper soup in his Ondo town beer parlour.

“He admitted to frequently travelling to Osun communities to steal goats.”

In a separate incident in Olaoluwa LGA , Amotekun operatives also arrested two men, 30 year old Sodiq Adeshina and 25 year old Kareem Marouf for burglary at an uncompleted building in Oluponna town

The suspects had stolen electrical appliances and cables valued at over N450,000, intending to sell them to a buyer in Iwo.

The statement stated that they confessed after being caught by operatives acting on intelligence reports.

Also, 26 year old Elijah Olawale of Ijebu-Ijesha town, Oriade LGA of the state, was arrested following complaints by his wife that he sexually abused his nine-year-old daughter.

“He confessed to raping the child three years ago and again recently.”

Also arrested were 26 year old Modakeke-based labour worker, ThankGod Friday, from Akwa-Ibom State, for raping his employer’s 12-year-old daughter twice.

Adeleke Sodiq, aged 60 years from Ode-omu, was caught raping a six-year-old toddler.

It was gathered that he lured the child with money and confessed to the crime, claiming it was his first time.

On September 8, 2025, the Amotekun revealed that three men – Ayo Akanni, 22 years, Bamiwo Sogo, 18 years and Bamiwo Israel, 18 years, were arrested in Ilesa for multiple burglaries at Atakunmosa Market.

“The suspects led operatives to a hideout where electronics, household items, building materials, and provisions worth millions of Naira were recovered.”

Reacting to the arrests, the Osun Amotekun Corps Commander, Isaac Omoyele reiterated the Corps’ commitment to public safety and urged residents to report suspicious activities to security agencies.

“We remain resolute in securing lives and property. Criminals have no hiding place; all suspects will face prosecution,” he added.

He disclosed that all nine suspects remained in custody and will be arraigned after conclusion of investigations.

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